Seriously, what threat is UAB football to Alabama football? In recent years Alabama has either won the national championship or been in contention for the national championship. UAB is like a flea on the back of an elephant. It is ridiculous that UAB can't build a new stadium or now even field a football team. Decision makers in AL have always been backward and stuck in their ways hence the reason the state continues to rank as one of the poorest in the country.

Seriously, what threat is UAB football to Alabama football? In recent years Alabama has either won the national championship or been in contention for the national championship. UAB is like a flea on the back of an elephant. It is ridiculous that UAB can't build a new stadium or now even field a football team. Decision makers in AL have always been backward and stuck in their ways hence the reason the state continues to rank as one of the poorest in the country.

From what I've come to understand from talking to folks from the UAB board, it seems that this is more a personal vendetta by Paul Bryant, Jr. than a large group of decision makers. Unfortunately, PBJ is pretty powerful in the UA system.

Seems as if PBJ took the view that his father held towards the end of his career, when UAB was trying to start football - that UAB getting a football team could negatively effect recruiting for for Alabama - to heart. Seems as though Bear had that view from a self-preservation standpoint, as the landscape was drastically different back then and nobody could really predict what effect a new program in the state would have; but his son took that view and turned it into an all-around negative view towards both UAB and UAH athletics as a whole.

The BOT shut down UAH's hockey program (was once a surprisingly strong program considering their location) a few years back... but UAH boosters and the mayor of Huntsville basically told them to take a long walk off of a short pier, and came up with the funding to continue the program themselves.

The Alabama people are afraid of them getting the occasional 3* that would provide depth for them (like we got Wynn when he was recruited by the big boys in state). Even if they only lose 1-2 of those players a year, that's 1-2 too many for some. It really sucks for UAB too, their program has a ton of momentum this year, they seem to have found their coach, and attendance is up dramatically.

The powers that be have to know even the whisper of this will hurt recruiting, and the ability to hold onto their coach. The fact that it hasn't been squashed already is very unsettling.

RT @dkurtenbach: UAB has shown the ability to fundraise, but they’re not doing it for football. Some say they’re declining football donations.Foreboding, no?

If that is true, it seems like a decision has already been made. When taking into consideration their coaches contract and the fact that they are the only FBS team with no games scheduled past 2016, it is really not looking good.

I feel UAB is done... Seems they were already getting rid of the program and just needed to conduct this "research" to support a decision they already made. Seems like this entire story is just a last ditch effort for their football foundation to save the program. A bowl game this year may help keep the team around though. Who knows.

Assuming UAB's program ends in 2016, who do you think we'd see wanting to make the move to CUSA?

I feel UAB is done... Seems they were already getting rid of the program and just needed to conduct this "research" to support a decision they already made. Seems like this entire story is just a last ditch effort for their football foundation to save the program. A bowl game this year may help keep the team around though. Who knows.

Assuming UAB's program ends in 2016, who do you think we'd see wanting to make the move to CUSA?

I feel UAB is done... Seems they were already getting rid of the program and just needed to conduct this "research" to support a decision they already made. Seems like this entire story is just a last ditch effort for their football foundation to save the program. A bowl game this year may help keep the team around though. Who knows.

Assuming UAB's program ends in 2016, who do you think we'd see wanting to make the move to CUSA?

iI would want us to keep USB and let U MASS in for football only. Or a full invite for UMass. Inviting jmu hurts basketball. If cusa ever went to 16 or lost a team that sucks at basketball I would be fine with jmu but I want our league to at least try to maintain basketball credibility.

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